BBC's Savile review to be delayed

The BBC's review into how shamed entertainer Jimmy Savile carried out a campaign of abuse over decades will not be published until after Stuart Hall's forthcoming trial.

Reports at the weekend said t he Dame Janet Smith review was expected to uncover hundreds of victims and reveal a culture of ignorance which "protected" Savile.

A parallel review, being carried out into Hall's behaviour while at the corporation, is being chaired by former High Court judge Dame Linda Dobbs DBE and will form part of the final report.

Hall, who worked on both radio and TV, is due to go on trial later this year accused of raping two young girls.

A statement published on the review website today said it had "re cently received a request from Lancashire Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (North West) to postpone delivery of its report until the criminal proceedings against Stuart Hall have concluded in mid-2014."

It went on: " The review understands that this request arises from the possibility that it might be suggested that the report could adversely affect the fairness of Mr Hall's trial.

"Dame Janet Smith and Dame Linda Dobbs appreciate the wish of many (including the victims) that the report be delivered as quickly as possible. They have, however, considered the request and concluded that, in the interests of justice, delivery of the report should be delayed. The BBC has been informed of, and agrees with, the review's decision."

Liz Dux, head of abuse at Slater and Gordon which looks a fter more than 70 of the victims, said: "The victims will be naturally disappointed by the delay in the release of this report. They have been living with the trauma of this matter in the spotlight now for 16 months.

"Those that have given evidence to the Dame Janet Smith review were pleased with how sympathetically they were listened to but there has been no follow-up support given by the BBC after they went through the trauma of giving their statements.

"They will understand the reasons why the release of the report has been delayed but for them their suffering continues until answers are given."

S avile rose to fame during the 1960s and 1970s as a BBC Radio 1 DJ and presenter of Jim'll Fix It on BBC1 but was revealed as one of the UK's most prolific abusers after his death in 2011.